The Last of Us show walked so Fallout could olympic sprint

Authentically adapting the videogame experience to the small or big screen has proven to be one of the biggest challenges for directors of any caliber, particularly when it comes to games that are heavier in tone and story-centric. Paul Anderson's Resident Evil tried it with an entire retconned franchise that spanned over a decade, while lower-key adaptations like Christophe Gans' Silent Hill just missed the mark entirely.

Fortunately, things have looked up in recent years, with the most recent example of Amazon's Fallout TV series. But shows like this wouldn't have seen the light of day were it not for others paving the way first.

Examples like Resident Evil and Silent Hill left the impression that pulling off a true rendition of a beloved game with unique elements and mature themes simply could not be done. However, they also share a common element missing from the equation - having the game creator(s) in the director's chair. Ironically, that was about to change when Neil Druckmann (writer and director of Naughty Dog's The Last of Us), pitched a film adaptation soon after the release of the original game.

Given that the game went on to win over 40 awards, was inducted into the World Video Game Hall of Fame, and garnered universal acclaim for its unmatched storytelling, the idea of bringing it to the silver screen wasn't that far-fetched. However, Druckmann's plans fell into production limbo for several years, and it seemed like the project was set for failure until HBO writer and producer Craig Mazin came into the picture in 2019.

After his success with the Chernobyl limited series, Mazin brought a fresh perspective to the table and he and Druckmann both agreed that, for the sake of pacing, The Last of Us needed to be an episodic series rather than a standalone film. That decision would pay off in countless spades, as the show obtained numerous well-earned awards, including eight Emmys that put Pedro Pascal, Bella Ramsey, and Nick Offerman in the spotlight for their performances as Joel, Ellie, and Bill respectively. Not only that, the show was quickly renewed for a second season.

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In the midst of it all, the success of The Last of Us would also 'light the way' (sorry, had to) for other potential adaptation projects, including Amazon Prime's Fallout series. Few people probably know that, since the release of Fallout 3 in 2008, Bethesda had actually been approached several times about a screen adaptation of the franchise. However, director Todd Howard wasn't satisfied with any of the pitches, warning that the wrong one in the wrong hands could override the passionately crafted vision of the game series.

However, much like Mazin did with Druckmann and The Last of Us, Westworld director Jonathan Nolan approached Todd Howard with the clearest vision yet. An avid fan of the Fallout games himself, Nolan understood what elements were needed to bring the most iconic post-apocalyptic franchise to life.

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Rather than a direct adaptation that wouldn't translate well on screen, the idea was to build a remarkably accurate version of Fallout's universe, with all of its aesthetic quirks and a unique story with a memorable protagonist rather than a "faceless" one at its center. This gave us the undeniably charming Lucy MacLean, along with a slew of fantastic characters such as Howard Cooper and Maximus, who all helped breathe life into a compelling narrative fit for California's nuclear wasteland.

After its debut on Prime Video, fans were awestruck by the sheer amount of authentic detail, from the incredible sets to fully functioning Pip-Boys, to the nostalgic 1960's music tracks and just about everything in between. Each episode was an absolute roller coaster, with not a single minute wasted and everything to prove. With Nolan's expertise, Todd Howard had finally found his theatrical vision for Fallout executed nearly perfectly.

Leading up to the premiere, Nolan himself revealed in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter that HBO's The Last of Us was the primary reason that the Fallout series finally got greenlit. Even though he and Todd Howard were actually ready to set things in motion before The Last of Us went into production, they still faced an uncertain road ahead of them, given that no other similar project had set a bar for expectations. In Nolan's words, "the bar was non-existent", so the risk was still there.

However, since Joel and Ellie's journey in The Last of Us beat them to the punch and set a new golden standard, Nolan was actually relieved.

It’s always nice to be the first one. But when somebody makes something as good as The Last of Us , it makes it easier, because suddenly everyone understands what’s possible.

- Jonathan Nolan via The Hollywood Reporter

In essence, The Last of Us did the walk so that Fallout could then sprint ahead with truly outstanding results. Both shows are renewed for second seasons, and fans have even been clamoring back to some of Bethesda's most popular Fallout game titles to further relive the experience while they wait.

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Now with Fallout's stellar success added to the roster, that bar not only exists but has become even more solidified in an ever-competitive industry where ambitious concepts are more often snubbed than embraced. It provides more assurance to upcoming projects like Netflix's Bioshock film, which was also in and out of development limbo for years and definitely has plenty of artistic challenges (e.g. - Big Daddies; a city at the bottom of the ocean) on its plate.

In the meantime, a Nuka Cola toast to Nolan, Howard, and the entire cast and crew. Here's hoping the post-apocalyptic magic continues the deeper into the wastelands we go.

Be sure to check out all of our latest guides and news for Fallout, such as 10 things we hope to see in Fallout Season 2.